Events :: Sustainabilityhttp://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability
Learn - Engage - TransformFri, 22 Sep 2017 18:00:53 +0000en-UShourly1BC Office of Sustainability is Hiring!http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/2017/05/17/bc-office-of-sustainability-is-hiring/
Wed, 17 May 2017 20:12:11 +0000http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/?p=13274...more about BC Office of Sustainability is Hiring!]]>Hey you! Now is your chance to get some real-life sustainability work experience and be an agent for change right here on Bellevue College campus, while getting paid to do it! Come and work for one of the best offices on campus! Whether you are thinking about a career in business, environmental sciences, arts, or engineering, these positions will give you applicable skills that will help improve your resume or school applications.

We have two positions currently open: Outreach Coordinator and Transportation Coordinator. The Outreach Coordinator focuses on encouraging and creating student projects, running events, and spreading the word about sustainability. The Transportation Coordinator focuses on helping students find commute options, creating new transportation programs, and connecting with the community. Check out the job descriptions for more information.

We would love to have you come join our team of students and staff dedicated to making a positive environmental and social impact! Applications are due by 4 pm on June 9th, 2017. Questions? Email sustainability@bellevuecollege.edu

]]>Earth Week 2017: RISE UP. BE THE CHANGE.http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/2017/04/04/earth-week-2017-rise-up-be-the-change/
Wed, 05 Apr 2017 00:53:17 +0000http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/?p=12948...more about Earth Week 2017: RISE UP. BE THE CHANGE.]]>On Tuesday April 18th to Friday April 21st, we have a very exciting line-up of activities for the campus to enjoy. Check out the poster below, or the chart for a more detailed explanation of events. Check back here to keep up to date on any changes to the schedule!

We also have a bonus event on Monday April 17th by some student members of the campus sustainability community!

Monday April 17th

Showing of the documentary "The True Cost" alongside mannequins, photos, and info about the fashion industry from BC students Walter and Ruby!

9:00 am to 12:20 pm
Cafeteria Stage

Tuesday April 18th

Event

What it’s all about!

Time & Location

Farmer’s Market, Seed Swap, Bike Mobile, and Plant Sale

Vendors, food, music, and FREE bike repairs by Bike Works! Labour and tune ups included, some parts may be extra.

Vendors include BC Produce Stand, Coast and Clearing, Dillanos, Flying Apron Bakery, Bonnie B’s Peppers, and Gustoblende with music by KBCS! Bring your cash! There will also be plenty of local organizations that you can learn more about and get involved with your community! – MOVED INDOOORS C BUILDING

10:00 am to 2:00 pm
C Building Cafeteria & Lobby

Documentary- More Than Honey

http://www.morethanhoneyfilm.com/ Run time 1 hour 35 minutes (changed from The True Cost, now on Monday)

8:30 am to 10:00 am
D106

Tips for Leading a Sustainable Lifestyle

Presented by Nancy Lane’s class, there will be an interactive station on how you can make a difference!

8:30 am to 9:20 am
Cafeteria Stage

Sustainable – Documentary Film

http://sustainablefoodfilm.com/ Run time 1.5 hours

9:30 am to 11:00 am
C130

Conserving Marine Resources: The Need for International Governance

Dr. Ernesto Penas Lado, Director for Policy Development and Coordination at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries will be on campus, all the way from Europe! He will give a talk on his experiences with the UN, ocean governance, and climate change!

11:30 am to 12:20 pm
C130

The Politicization of Climate Science: What Are the Impacts and How Do We Move Forward?

Degrees in Atmospheric Science from the University of Washington, Journalism and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. (And took calculus and physics pre-requisites from what was then BCC)

Won 9 Emmys as a producer of Science Documentaries (including specials on Climate Change, Mount St. Helens and the Oso Landslide) and as a broadcast meteorologist

And much more! Check out this talk to learn more about his great climate work and life!

1:30 pm to 2:20 pm
C130

Wendell Berry and Other Poetry Reading

Presented by BC Poetry Club, they will be reading some original poems as well as those by Wendell Berry http://www.wendellberrybooks.com/

Bellevue College is taking 12 students to the Washington Higher Education Sustainability Conference! This is an all expenses paid opportunity to network with like-minded individuals, understand how you can make a difference, and bring your knowledge back to campus. The conference is February 16-17 in Spokane, WA held at Gonzaga and we will be leaving on February 15th. APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO WED FEB 1st at 4pm. Submit an application to Front Desk C212 or sustainability@bellevuecollege.edu

What is the WAHESC?

The Washington Higher Education Sustainability Conference (WAHESC) is an opportunity for students to come together with teachers, staff, and other students from our region’s institutes of higher education, and learn about sustainability. There will be workshops, presentations, and facilitated conversations to discuss sustainability. We’ll share best practices, discuss creative solutions to common challenges, and develop networks across our region by making new friends and meeting others who share our common goals of living and working sustainably.

The theme for the 2017 conference is “Caring for our Common Home.” As we are working together to advance sustainability at our institutions, we look forward to unpacking how we define and practice “care” in regard to Earth, our common home.

Bellevue College is honored to be a Contributing Co-Host to the 2017 WAHESC. In addition, representatives from our staff and student populations will be participating in an interactive panel discussion during the conference!

]]>Fall Sustainability Series Carries on Through November!http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/2016/11/03/fall-sustainability-series-carries-on-through-november/
Thu, 03 Nov 2016 08:19:19 +0000http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/?p=12287...more about Fall Sustainability Series Carries on Through November!]]>Fall Sustainability Series Isn’t Over!

Check out what’s to come this November, from biking challenges, to field trips, to documentary screenings- there’s something for everyone! See you there!

]]>Students Take Trip to PSE “Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility” in Central Washingtonhttp://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/2016/11/03/fall-series-students-take-trip-to-pse-windfarm-in-eastern-washington/
Thu, 03 Nov 2016 07:22:13 +0000http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/?p=12224...more about Students Take Trip to PSE “Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility” in Central Washington]]>On October 8th as part of The Office of Sustainability’s ongoing Fall Sustainability series, students and staff- led by Amber Nicholson visited Puget Sound Energy’s Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility and Renewable Energy Center. Set high on a ridge 16 miles east of Ellensburg in Central Washington, the facility’s amenities include a 360 degree views of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and the Columbia River Basin. The facility offers an up-close look at wind and sun’s tremendous opportunities for producing clean, renewable energy. Wild Horse is home to dozens of huge wind turbines , which have the capacity to generate up to a whopping 273 megawatts of electricity! Aside from these turbines, the solar-power installation, one of the Northwest’s largest, can generate up to 502 kilowatts of electricity. Puget Sound Energy’s Renewable Energy Center offers a first-hand look at how these elements are turned into electricity.

The tour lasted about an hour, and students were able to see firsthand the massive wind turbine blades, extensive 52 kw solar array, turbine generator, gearbox and an inside look inside the base of an active volcano.

Check out this YouTube video presented by PSE that shows some of the wind turbines in action!

]]>Want to Win $$?? Post a Ride in Zimride!!http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/2016/09/27/want-to-win-post-a-ride-in-zimride/
Tue, 27 Sep 2016 22:37:57 +0000http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/?p=11970...more about Want to Win $$?? Post a Ride in Zimride!!]]>September 6 – October 14 automatically enter to win one of four $25 MasterCard Gift Cards by posting a new ride in BC’s private Zimride network!!!

What is Zimride?

Zimride by BC is an online ride-matching service specifically for BC that easily connects drivers and passengers heading to the same area, making it a great solution for those who don’t have cars on campus to find rides for weekend trips or going home to visit on breaks or for those who have cars to share travel costs. Zimride users can also use it to form carpools with other students, faculty or staff who are looking to share rides back and forth to campus.

Students, faculty, and staff can set up or find a carpool to fit their commuting needs by posting a ride on Zimride. This is an awesome way to split the cost of travel to and from BC. Save through splitting the cost of a parking permit and accessing premium carpool spots, gas, and car maintenance.

Sign up here using your Bellevue College as well as read the official rules of the contest!

]]>WAHESC February 2017- Call for Proposalshttp://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/2016/09/19/wahesc-february-2017-call-for-proposals/
Mon, 19 Sep 2016 17:56:29 +0000http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/?p=11925...more about WAHESC February 2017- Call for Proposals]]>WAHESC stands for the Washington Higher Education Sustainability Conference, which is being held February 16 and 17th, 2017 at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Bellevue College is a contributing co-host this year, and that means we need to be a bigger part of the conference to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability in Washington State and in higher education!

SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS TO SUSTAINABILITY@BELLEVUECOLLEGE.EDU BY OCTOBER 11, 2016 or directly to WAHESC by OCTOBER 14th!

About the Conference

The Washington Higher Education Sustainability Conference (WAHESC) is a regionally focused opportunity for those teaching, working, or studying within higher education to come together and learn about sustainability in academics, operations, and research. Participants will explore ways to advance campus sustainability through the sharing of best practices, presentations on creative solutions to common challenges, and the development of regional collaborative networks. Through these facilitated conversations, workshops, presentations, and networking opportunities conference goers will help advance environmental performance at Washington State institutions of higher education, support regional policy goals, and drive the development of a generation of professionals who strive to live and work sustainably. Attendees will form a more united coalition to support key statewide sustainability approaches, goals and policy initiatives.

The Theme

The theme for the 2017 conference is “Caring for our Common Home”, an echo of the call from Pope Francis in his 2015 encyclical letter, “Laudato Si”. Just as Pope Francis called “every living person on the planet” to be mindful of consumption and assert an ethic of care for our planet, WAHESC also invites students, faculty, and staff at institutions from across the region to gather around this theme. As we are working together to advance sustainability at our institutions, we look forward to unpacking how we define and practice “care” and what is our responsibility to the earth, our common home.

Why Attend?

As a statewide/regional conference, WAHESC will naturally promote a “local” focus. Dialogue will specifically address issues in the Northwest and Washington State, and solutions will be tailored for implementation in our unique political, social, economic and environmental climate. Attendees will also take this time to develop and deepen working relationships with peers in the region to advance sustainability on your home campus and the region. WAHESC is open to students and educators from all focuses and majors, and believe that any and all areas of study can benefit from conversations about campus sustainability.

]]>Unmute the Commute Event!http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/2016/06/21/unmute-the-commute-event/
Tue, 21 Jun 2016 20:42:05 +0000http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/?p=11844...more about Unmute the Commute Event!]]>Join 91.3 KBCS on June 28th at Crossroads Bellevue Farmer’s Market from 1 pm to 3 pm for a fun-filled celebration of public transit and the commuter experience! Hang out on a bus, listen to some music, and hear other’s commuting stories!

]]>Switching to Ethanol is Easier than Everhttp://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/2016/06/13/switching-to-ethanol-is-easier-than-ever/
Mon, 13 Jun 2016 21:42:48 +0000http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/sustainability/?p=11840...more about Switching to Ethanol is Easier than Ever]]>Switching To Ethanol Is Easier Than Ever

Submission by Mario Charnell-Delgado

(With some caveats)

The Problem

Crude oil is not a renewable resource, but for most Americans it’s still the only fuel available to them. It’s no secret that our reliance on oil leaves us dangerously exposed to supply disruptions, which have led to major economic recessions in the past, and environmentalists have also pointed to fossil fuel production as one of the major leading causes of climate change. This has left many people scrambling for alternatives, though no single alternative fuel source has yet supplanted crude oil’s dominance. However, one particular alternative fuel has been in use since the early days of the Ford Model T, and is still compatible with many engines in use today; ethanol. This fuel is also known as distilled alcohol, and running it in your car is far easier than previously thought.

Today ethanol is readily available to fuel cars across the nation, though most drivers in Washington state today would probably respond with a blank stare if you asked them where you could fill up on E85. The fuel blend known as “E85” gets its namesake from being 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, and cars capable of running this specialized blend often bear the “Flex Fuel” label. Ford and GM alone have sold over 17 million Flex Fuel vehicles to date, representing approximately 7% of vehicles on the road in the U.S., but overall there has been little progress toward expanding availability of ethanol fuel outside of the Midwest. There are only 7 gas stations in Washington state that sell the E85 blend, and the closest station to downtown Seattle is still over 30 miles away in Snoqualmie. The rest are scattered among rural areas in towns such as Marysville and Chehalis, making ethanol essentially unattainable to large metropolitan areas, and where emissions reductions are needed the most.

Strangely, most gasoline cars already run a blend of ethanol and gasoline, using a minimum 10% ethanol by volume, otherwise known as E10. This was primarily a result of combined pressure from environmental and agricultural lobbying groups, the latter of which typically has surplus ethanol leftover from feedstock production, so the ethanol mandate helps consume the excess. But while mandating a minimum E10 blend certainly helped to open the door to higher ethanol blends, such a small difference in the fuel blend doesn’t usually require modifications. Furthermore, car manufacturers are free to make their own choices on whether to include support for blends E15 and higher, and most have chosen to omit the capability. Occasionally ethanol discussions have been revisited over the years, usually in correlation with major crude oil supply disruptions, but gasoline still reigns supreme thanks to recent advancements in extraction technology, further extending the supply.

Weighing The Options

The mere presence of E85 at gas stations does still inspire faith that ethanol is not a lost cause. But while businesses and research institutions can participate in subsidies and incentives for switching to alternative fuels, Washington is one of many states that offer no such advantages for the individual consumer, except for a tax break when buying brand new electric vehicles.

Those consumers not looking to buy a new vehicle are effectively on their own when attempting to convert an existing gasoline/diesel car to biofuel or electric, and these conversions can be prohibitively expensive and time-consuming. You may also find, as I did, that even the most experienced mechanics will try to steer you away from fuel conversions, citing fears of engine damage or worse. But it turns out that for many consumers the conversion to E85 ethanol is actually safe and relatively easy, providing that your vehicle meets some basic criteria.

First, your car must have electronic fuel injection. This capability is included with the usage of electronic emission control units (ECUs), which became a standard feature on cars in the early 1980’s. The ECU gives the vehicle the ability to dynamically adjust the air/fuel ratio via the fuel injectors to accommodate various altitudes, temperatures, and fuel quality, resulting in better performance and efficiency when compared to carburetors. This was also crucial for cars to be able to run on future gasoline blends that include ethanol, since ethanol needs a richer ratio of fuel to air in order to ignite.

Second, your engine’s cylinders must use port injection. This is the most common type of fuel injection currently, but is gradually being replaced by direct injection in newer vehicles, and current ethanol conversion kits don’t work with direct injection. Some vehicles will make this feature easily identifiable by applying labels like “EcoBoost” or “GDI”. Consult your owner’s manual or dealer if you’re unsure which type of injection is used.

Essentially if your gasoline vehicle uses both port injection and electronic fuel injection via ECU, then you can easily convert your vehicle to Flex Fuel for around $400. I did this to my own vehicle to prove the concept, and now I’m here to report my findings.

The Conversion

Vehicle: 2001 Lexus IS300 base

Engine: 3.0 L Toyota 2JZ-GE inline 6 cylinder

Transmission: 5-speed automatic

Curb weight: 3,285 lb

Additional tools needed:

Multimeter

Phillips screwdriver

Pliers and wire clippers

Socket wrench set

I purchased this car back in 2015, with just under 89,000 miles on the odometer. At the time of purchase I was already considering a switch to ethanol, but held off to fix some minor mechanical issues, and I was also unsure of which parts I would need for a conversion. I had first heard of Flex Fuel back in 2003 when I wrote a report on it for school, but I didn’t learn about DIY kits until watching the 2014 documentary “Pump”, which showcases a kit made by a company called Change2E85.

At first glance this kit seemed too good to be true, so before proceeding I received quotes from various mechanics in the area to get their take on what they believed would be necessary for a proper Flex Fuel conversion. Their own recommendations were going to overhaul the existing fuel system and cost several thousand dollars to install, which I found to be a bit outrageous. One could assume that 15 years of running E10 without incident is proof enough that ethanol doesn’t harm existing engines and fuel lines, but through this process I’ve learned to never underestimate the power of misinformation.

After a year of careful consideration, I went ahead and ordered the kit. Shortly after ordering the manufacturer asked me to check the polarity of the fuel injectors before they could ship it. After a quick check with the multimeter (they were reverse polarity, in my case), the kit was on its way.

Once I received the kit, I completed the installation in under 2 hours, in the middle of the parking lot near my apartment. Most of that time was spent carefully fishing cables underneath the intake chamber, trying to avoid having to disassemble the engine in front of my neighbors. An experienced mechanic probably would have removed the obstructing bits before running the cables, so you may want to consult one in case you run into trouble.

After installation, the kit works by reading the electrical signal that the engine computer sends to the fuel injectors, and “learns” how to adjust the timing of the injectors by effectively watching how the original computer reacts to the fuel blend. The existing computer isn’t aware that it is being monitored, and the engine performs normally if you continue to use plain pump gas after the kit is installed. Once you add some E85, however, the engine computer detects the change in the fuel blend, and the Change2E85 kit takes adjustment instructions from the engine and further modifies them to account for the higher ethanol content, basically keeping the injectors open longer. The only functional difference between this kit and a true Flex Fuel setup installed from the factory is that Flex Fuel vehicles simply receive a software update that adds injector mapping for ethanol, while the Change2E85 kit mimics the software update using hardware instead.

Overall I would rate the installation difficulty at about a 4/10. It’s easy enough to do in a parking lot, but requires some basic knowledge of your engine if you plan on doing it yourself.

Testing The Myths

Given the relative ease of the Change2E85 kit, why would a mechanic recommend spending thousands of dollars to replace the fuel system and re-tune the vehicle instead? In the case of the IS300, many owners perform such conversions for the purpose of racing, given E85’s increasing prevalence as a cheap alternative to racing gasoline. Racing modifications often require much higher fuel consumption, which would entail upgrading the entire fuel system for higher flow. The site for Change2E85 also mentions that the kit is likely unsuitable for racing and modified cars, so it’s safe to say they are well aware of the limits of consumer-grade fuel systems.

That said the ethanol alone will still provide a performance boost without any other changes to the vehicle. I haven’t yet put the car on a dyno to get an accurate measure of the horsepower gain, but the difference is definitely noticeable. From what I’ve read you can assume a gain of roughly 10% or more, which would bring my original 215 horsepower up to about 236. Mileage has also changed, with approximately a net decrease from 18-23 city/hwy MPG to 15/20 city/hwy MPG. These are expected impacts for a fuel that is both higher octane and lower density than gasoline.

What about the price difference? For now, the switch to E85 may end up being more expensive than gasoline, depending on where you buy it and whether your car normally takes regular, mid-grade, or premium unleaded. At the time of writing the Shell station in Snoqualmie prices E85 at approximately $3.25/gallon, while premium unleaded runs around $3.34/gallon. I currently drive between 9,000 and 12,000 miles per year, so if you factor in the MPG drop, that would equate to up to $200 more per year to fill up on E85 versus gasoline. Luckily you can still use gasoline while it’s cheap, and the price of E85 tends to be stable even while gas prices rise. If, for instance, you assume that gas will go up to $4.00 per gallon (like it did in 2015) while the price of E85 stays at $3.25, then E85 would be saving approximately $100 per year in my case. This rough calculation also includes the extra distance that I need to drive to obtain E85, which is usually takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour, round trip, from Bellevue College to Snoqualmie and back.

There can be additional savings from using E85 through reduced maintenance costs, but the savings depend on the vehicle and individual driving habits. For consumers using direct injection vehicles, a common problem is that gasoline leaves more carbon residue in the cylinders than traditional port injection, in some cases requiring expensive cleanings every few years. If you’re lucky enough to be in possession of a direct injection vehicle that also has Flex Fuel capabilities (Ford currently offers this option for the Focus), then the carbon buildup from E85 would be greatly reduced, if not eliminated. In the case of port injection vehicles, the switch to E85 reduces carbon buildup on valves and pistons, and can dissolve existing buildup on high mileage vehicles. In my case I also saw a gradual reduction of carbon buildup on the tailpipe, so you can definitely see the results even from the outside.

Beating The Stigma

The ease of installation and the benefits of the fuel beg another question: Why isn’t this option more publicized, and why are so many mechanics against it? Again, misinformation seems to have usurped the conventional knowledge of previous generations.

Gasoline has been the standard fuel for so long that it’s practically an assumption that no other fuel will suffice for automobiles. Part of this is because carbureted engines manufactured between the 1920s and the 1980’s often contained fuel components that were safe for gasoline but could corrode when exposed to ethanol, so mechanics may be operating under the assumption that the problem still exists for newer vehicles. Another explanation is that most gasoline engines are built only with timings specific to gasoline, and can misfire when using ethanol instead. Indeed, many consumers have filled up with E85 on accident, reporting a vast range of engine dysfunctions that result. As availability of E85 has grown, so too have the reported engine failures involving ethanol, further strengthening the stigma against it.

But the truth is that ethanol is safe to use in gasoline vehicles as long as the engine computer supports it, and given my experiences I would go as far as to say it’s better than gasoline. I also have my own concerns about the safety of gasoline, primarily because it contains the toxic compounds benzene and toluene, which are used in other applications as powerful industrial solvents. Plus, the additional carbon buildup will also damage an engine over time, which is the same reasoning that people have used for avoiding certain varieties of cheap gasoline.

So what are the real risks with ethanol? The only immediate risk with ethanol is that it doesn’t combust as well at low temperatures, so in the winter you need to add more gasoline to ensure your car will start, typically with a 70% (E70) or 50% (E50) ethanol blend. Another option would be to use an engine block heater, which helps warm the fuel when starting. Aside from that, it’s recommended that you change your oil more frequently when using ethanol since it doesn’t contain as much lubricant as gasoline, with recommendations ranging anywhere between 1,000 to 2,000 miles less than the normal oil change interval on gasoline.

Are there any legal issues with the conversion? Technically no, unless you run a shop where you offer to install the conversion as a paid service. The EPA considers it illegal to tamper with the emission control system on consumer vehicles, as tampering can allow you to bypass emissions restrictions, potentially increasing pollution. But this particular modification doesn’t change the original emissions tuning for gasoline, and it significantly decreases emissions on E85. Moreover, manufacturers of these kits have been selling for years without issue, so it’s definitely safe for the individual consumer to buy and install themselves. Some dealers may refuse to service vehicles that contain this modification, but they can’t void the warranty unless they can definitively prove that the modification is responsible for harm to the vehicle.

I myself couldn’t be happier with the results so far, and I hope to see more consumers getting behind the trend. The sustainable energy movement needs consumers to drive demand for ethanol and other alternative fuels, and with crude oil supplies constantly under threat of disruption we can’t indefinitely postpone investments in renewables.